COVID-19 Workplace Public Health Order Compliance Safety Plan
On January 7, 2022, the provincial health officer announced an order requiring employers to re-activate their COVID-19 Safety Plans. Lions Gate has done so.
This replaces the previous requirement for employers to have communicable disease prevention plans in their workplaces. While communicable disease prevention plans and COVID-19 Safety Plans share some of the same fundamental principles, COVID-19 Safety Plans are formal, written plans with more rigorous controls and are more appropriate for periods of elevated risk, such as the one currently faced by B.C. workplaces by the Omicron variant.
Re-activating the Lions Gate your COVID-19 Safety Plan
COVID-19 Safety Plans provides Lions Gate with important measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission at their workplace. Lions Gate has updated its COVID-19 Safety Plans to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in workplaces. We have taken the decision to suspend attendance in company premises and re-activated remote working protocols. Workers deployed to client sites continue to operate, adhering to client safety plan requirements and public health guidelines.
Lions Gate has reviewed their COVID-19 Safety Plans to ensure that they are current and aligned with all guidance and orders from the provincial health officer. For all visitors to our website, we include general COVID-19 information which is accessible open source. For all of our team, employees, associates, and contracted staff, we have created password protected ‘intranet’ style staff pages under read more, so they may access pertinent plan protected information, policies, procedures, protocols, and other company specific COVID data. Open Source we provide links to latest COVID-19 data and to the BC COVID-19 Dashboard. Again, currency is essential and this information being accessible through a single ‘intranet’ style page on our website is helpful for staff taking decisions cognisant of the risks, the orders, and the required company direction and actions to reduce transmission.
We apply the keys principles for reducing transmission and the guidance of WorkSafeBC as the hub of our COVID-19 Safety Plan for plan content and to demonstrate compliance.
Step 1: Assess the risks at Lions Gate workplaces
Lions Gate has assessed workplaces and is continually assessing workplaces in order to identify places where the risk of transmission is introduced to ensure risks are identified and managed. This process does involve frontline workers, supervisors, and joint health and safety committees and/or worker representatives.
Lions Gate has involved workers when assessing workplaces.
We have identified areas where there may be risks, either through close physical proximity or through contaminated surfaces. We recognize that the closer together workers are and the longer they are close to each other, the greater the risk. We have involved frontline workers, supervisors, and the joint health and safety committee (or worker health and safety representatives).
We have identified areas where people gather, such as break rooms, and meeting rooms.
We have identified job tasks and processes where workers are close to one another or members of the public.
This can occur in our company places of work, in worker vehicles, or at other work locations where we provide security services to our clients and where our workers travel offsite as part of their jobs.
We have identified the tools, machinery, and equipment that workers share while working.
We have identified surfaces that people touch often, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, and light switches.
Step 2: Implement Protocols to Reduce the Risk
First level protection (elimination) — We have suspended working at our company premises and have implemented work-from-home arrangements. In field operations, where possible, we have established occupancy limits, rescheduling work tasks, or other means. READ MORE
We have established and posted an occupancy limit for our premises. Limiting the number of people in a workplace is an important way to ensure physical distancing is maintained. Some sectors may have requirements for occupancy limits prescribed by the provincial health officer.
For other employers, an occupancy limit that provides at least 5 square metres of unencumbered floor space per person (workers and patrons) may provide a sensible approach for determining maximum occupancy. In order to reduce the number of people at the worksite, we have considered work-from-home arrangements, virtual meetings, rescheduling work tasks, and limiting the number of customers and visitors in the workplace.
We have established and posted occupancy limits for common areas such as break rooms, meeting rooms, change rooms, washrooms, and elevators. We have implemented measures to keep workers and others at least 2 metres apart, wherever possible. Options include revising work schedules and reorganizing work tasks.
Second level protection (engineering controls) — Where we are unable to maintain physical distancing, we are using appropriate measures to reduce the potential for transmission. Engineering controls are already in place in our company offices as and when we resume office working. READ MORE
We have installed barriers where workers can’t keep physically distant from co-workers, customers, or others.
We have included barrier cleaning in our cleaning protocols.
We have installed the barriers, so they don’t introduce other risks to workers (e.g., barriers installed inside a vehicle don’t affect the safe operation of the vehicle).
For buildings with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: We have reviewed available information on ventilation and air circulation and have ensured, to the extent that we are able, that these systems are properly maintained and functioning as designed.
Third level protection (administrative controls) — Establish rules and guidelines, such as posted occupancy limits for shared spaces, designated delivery areas, cleaning practices, and one-way doors and walkways to keep people physically separated. In place as and for adoption when we resume office-based working.
Lions Gate provides adequate hand-washing facilities at company facilities for all workers, and we ensure the location is visible and easily accessed. We have developed policies around when workers must wash their hands, including upon arriving for work, before and after breaks, after handling cash or other materials, before and after handling common tools and equipment. READ MORE
We have identified rules and guidelines for how workers should conduct themselves.
We have clearly communicated these rules and guidelines to workers through a combination of training and signage.
Our workplace has enough handwashing facilities on site for all our workers. Handwashing locations are visible and easily accessed.
We have policies that specify when workers must wash their hands and we have communicated good hygiene practices to workers. Frequent handwashing and good hygiene practices are essential to reduce the spread of the virus.
We are maintaining a clean environment in the workplace through routine cleaning practices.
Workers who are cleaning have adequate training and materials.
Fourth level protection (PPE) — Masks are an important tool in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission. Implement mask policies appropriate to your workplace and ensure that they are in alignment with orders or guidance from the provincial health officer. Ensure that masks are selected and used appropriately. Signage is available on using masks correctly. All in place and with N-95 masks issued to operatives.We have a policy on the use of masks that is appropriate to the workplace, and that is in alignment with orders and guidance from the provincial health officer. Masks are selected and used appropriately. Signage is available for workers on using masks correctly. We have provided workers information on the proper use of masks.
Step 3: Develop Policies
Lions Gate has written and maintains Policies, Protocols and Procedures Develop the necessary policies to manage our company workplaces and field operations at client sites. These address who can be at the workplace, how to address illness that arises at the workplace, and how workers can be kept safe in adjusted working conditions. We do communicate these policies clearly to workers through training, signage, and reminders as required.
Our workplace policies around COVID-19 symptom management align with the guidance of public health. READ MORE
We have policies in place to support workers in receiving COVID-19 vaccinations to the extent that we are able.
We have implemented vaccination policies at our workplaces and have clearly communicated this policy to workers.
All individuals must follow the guidance of public health around COVID-19 illness, isolation, and symptom management.
Visitors are prohibited or limited in the workplace.
First aid attendants have been provided OFAA protocols for use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have a working alone policy in place
We have a work from home policy in place
We ensure workers have the training and strategies required to address the risk of violence that may arise as customers and members of the public adapt to restrictions or modifications to the workplace.
We have also ensured an appropriate violence prevention program is in place.
Step 4 Develop Communication Plans and Training
Through internal updates and training we ensure that everyone entering the company workplaces, including workers from other employers, knows how to keep themselves safe while at those company workplaces. READ MORE
We have a training plan to ensure everyone is trained in workplace policies and procedures.
All workers have received the policies for staying home when sick.
We have posted signage at the workplace to communicate policies and procedures as required.
Supervisors have been trained on monitoring workers and the workplace to ensure policies and procedures are being followed.
Step 5 Monitor your workplace and update your plans as necessary
The risks associated with COVID-19 and the Variants, Omicron, B.1.1.7: B.1.351: P.1: plus, increasing transmissions and geographical and age group fluctuations, mean we need to be continually monitoring and responding to health direction and orders and continually responsive. READ MORE
We have a plan in place to monitor risks. We make changes to our policies and procedures as necessary.
Workers know who to go to with health and safety concerns.
When resolving safety issues, we will involve joint health and safety committees
Step 6 Assess and address risks from resuming operations
Lions Gate is currently status ‘offices closed’ to reduce the risk of infection spread and acknowledges that this will change. Field operations on client sites continue. READ MORE
In readiness:
We have a training plan for new staff.
We have a training plan for staff taking on new roles or responsibilities.
We have a training plan around changes to our business, such as new equipment, processes, or products.
We have reviewed the start-up requirements for vehicles, equipment, and machinery that have been out of use.
